From: Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.ccsend.com] on behalf of Ron Hays [ron@oklahomafarmreport.com]
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 7:08 AM
To: Hays, Ron
Subject: Oklahoma's Farm News Update
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Oklahoma's latest farm and ranch news
Your Update from Ron Hays of RON for Friday, September 2, 2011
A service of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, Midwest Farm Shows and KIS Futures!
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-- Piper Wray of Lomega FFA Wins Back to Back Oklahoma Wheat Show Titles
-- Both Grain and Cattle Industries Still Dealing with Drought- and we have your SUNUP preview
-- Cattle and Pasture Management is Crucial to Prepare for Next Spring
-- What are Common Misconceptions Between Organic and Conventional Farming?
-- Top House Ag Democrat Calls Super Committee a Dumb Idea
-- U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance Receives Support from Monsanto
-- Labor Day Cometh- In the Field AND Lesser Prairie Chicken on the Menu
-- STEAK Your Claim for Some Great eating at Freddie Pauls in Stillwater!
-- Let's Check the Markets!

Howdy Neighbors!

Here's your morning farm news headlines from the Director of Farm Programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, Ron Hays. We are proud to have KIS Futures as a regular sponsor of our daily email update. KIS Futures provides Oklahoma Farmers & Ranchers with futures & options hedging services in the livestock and grain markets- Click here for the free market quote page they provide us for our website or call them at 1-800-256-2555- and their IPHONE App, which provides all electronic futures quotes is available at the App Store- click here for the KIS Futures App for your Iphone.

We are also excited to have as one of our sponsors for the daily email Producers Cooperative Oil Mill, with 64 years of progress through producer ownership. Call Brandon Winters at 405-232-7555 for more information on the oilseed crops they handle, including sunflowers and canola- and remember they post closing market prices for canola and sunflowers on the PCOM website- go there by clicking here.

And we salute our longest running email sponsor- Midwest Farm Shows, producer ofthe recent Southern Plains Farm Show as well as the Tulsa Farm Show held each December. Click here for the Midwest Farm Show main website to learn more about their lineup of shows around the country!

We invite you to listen to us on great radio stations across the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network weekdays- if you missed this morning's Farm News - or you are in an area where you can't hear it- click here for this morning's Farm news from Ron Hays on RON.

If you have received this by someone forwarding it to you, you are welcome to subscribe and get this weekday update sent to you directly by clicking here.


Piper Wray of Lomega FFA Wins Back to Back Oklahoma Wheat Show Titles
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Despite the fact that 2011 was a tough year for growing wheat in the state of Oklahoma, a group of young people involved in the Oklahoma Wheat Show pushed forward and harvested some high quality wheat- and a bushel basket full of scholarships and prize money.

The top award winners received about $16,000 in scholarships, with another $4,000 being paid out in prize money and premiums for a job well done.

At the top end of the award winners, it was Deja Vu- as Piper Wray of the Lomega FFA Chapter won the Grand Championship for the second year in a row- and for the second year in a row, she won with the variety Overley- a Kansas State release. Wray placed sixth in the beauty contest of visual, while the sample from her crop placed first in the milling and baking portion of the contest. She won a $3,000 scholarship for being the FFA Champion, which brings her two year total to $6,000, the maximum amount a student can win in their career as a competitor in the Wheat Show.
We talked with Piper about her back to back wins- and we also visited with Dr. Kim Anderson of Oklahoma State University's Department of Ag Economics about the value of this contest in teaching young people about tying good looking wheat at the elevator down the pipeline to wheat that performs well for the end user. You can hear comments from both Piper and Dr. Anderson by clicking on the LINK below.

The 4-H Champion of the 2011 show was Dylan Chaney of the Garber 4-H Club- who entered "Duster"- won the $3,000 scholarship as well as a $500 premium from Oklahoma Genetics, Inc who offered premiums to the top five award winners if they grew an OSU bred wheat they are licensed to sell. Eight of the top ten winners raised Duster and earned premiums from OGI.

We have that audio- as well as the listing of the top five winners in both the 4-H and FFA divisions- and a link to our FLICKR page where we have pictures from all of the top ten winners. Jump to our webpage for all of that by clicking on this link.

Jump to our webpage for all of that by clicking here for all of the details we have for you of the Oklahoma Wheat Show


Both Grain and Cattle Industries Still Dealing with Drought- and we have your SUNUP preview
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Dr. Kim Anderson, Grain Marketing Specialist from Oklahoma State University, and Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, sat down and discussed all aspects of the grain industry and cattle industry over the past couple of months for this weekend's SUNUP program to be seen on OETA. Both the grain industry and cattle industry have faced challenges with the severe drought.

Looking at winter crops, Anderson says canola faired relatively well surviving the drought but probably had slightly lower yields than average. Wheat on the other hand was hit relatively hard, especially in southwestern and western Oklahoma, says Anderson. There were 77 million bushels of wheat this year compared to 125 million last year. When it comes to summer crops, Anderson says simple it was a disaster. Corn, sorghum and soybeans quality is still out but Anderson predicts the quality will not be as good as expected and yields will definitely be less than half of what would be expected.

As far as cattle markets go, Peel says the critical factor over the summer months for producers was the lack of water supplies. As water resources dried up, animals simply had to be moved very quickly says Peel. Many producers were forced to liquidate, either significant amounts of their herds or the entire cattle herd. Peel says the cattle markets have been almost opposite of the crops because there have been significant volumes of animals moving through the auctions, which created some weakness in prices, but overall the prices have remained decent. Peel says the cattle markets are beginning to work their way out of this pattern but there is going to continue to be liquidation.

Click on the LINK below to hear Lyndall Stout's conversation with Dr. Anderson and Dr. Peel on the changes in the grain and cattle markets, as well as, how producers are dealing with these changes. AND- we have the preview of the entire SUNUP show for this weekend as will be seen on Saturday morning on OETA.

Click here a chance to hear Lyndall visit with both Derrell and Kim- plus you can see the rundown for SUNUP for this weekend.


Cattle and Pasture Management is Crucial to Prepare for Next Spring
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Hugh Aljoe of the Noble Foundation spoke this week at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Drought Summit on how the extreme drought this year is making cattle producers across the state reconsider everything they do in their cattle operation. Aljoe says many producers in the cattle industry fail to think about what is going to happen in the future.

Aljoe says the most pressing thing producers need to do to get from here to fall and then into 2012 is to set their pastures up to stock cattle next spring. The management between now and next spring is crucial if producers plan on stocking cattle and there are a few short-term goals that producers should manage to prepare for next spring.

Aljoe says producers need to take stock of their pastures, figure out how much hay or any type of reserve forage they have, and figure out how much water they have. After these have been determined, Aljoe suggests that the producer manages towards those goals, which may mean early weaning calves.

The drought is looking like it will continue into the fall and possibly into next spring and Aljoe says if the drought does stay around much longer, it will have the potential to change the structure of the Oklahoma cattle industry. Aljoe says for producers to be prepared for changes, they need to not only manage their cattle, but also manage their pastures as well.

Our Beef Buzz programs are heard on many of our great radio stations across the region that are a part of the Radio Oklahoma Network. They can also be heard on our website- to see a full list of previous Beef Buzz reports, go to www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com and click on the Beef Buzz button on the left hand side of any page. Click on the LINK below for this Beef Buzz featuring Hugh Aljoe of the Noble Foundation.

Click here for the latest edition of the Beef Buzz with Hugh Aljoe


What are Common Misconceptions Between Organic and Conventional Farming?
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There are often many misconceptions when it comes to organic agriculture versus conventional agriculture. In a blog on the Scientific American website, Christie Wilcox set out to discourage some common misconceptions and myths perceived by the public concerning organic agriculture. Organic food and beverages have come a long way over the past ten years making $26.7 billion in 2012.

Certified organic sales have been on the rise and have risen to almost $52 billion around the world even though organic foods can cost up to three times more than foods produced under conventional agriculture standards. Wilcox looks at three common myths that are often associated with organic farming.

The first myth Wilcox discusses is the understanding that organic farms do not use pesticides. In fact, there are actually over 20 chemicals commonly used while growing and processing organic crops. And all of these chemicals are approved by the U.S. Organic Standards. the second myth Wilcox takes on is the belief that organic foods are healthier. In comparisons between organic and conventional foods, there has been no evidence found of differences between the two. This includes a comparison of over 15 different vitamins , invluding vitamin C, beta-carotene, and calcium.

The third myth Wilcox addresses is the myth that organic farming is better for the environment. Many organic farmers apply the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin to their crops as it is one of the most widely used organic pesticides each year. However, many of the organic farms are against the use of Bt toxin in genetically modified crops.

Click here to read more on organic versus conventional farming practices


Top House Ag Democrat Calls Super Committee a Dumb Idea
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The top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson of Minnesota, denies he and House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas have been communicating during the August recess about the possible budget cuts to be demanded by the so called Super Committee. Peterson says he does not think the Republicans know what to do on budget cutting- so have done nothing to this point.

The former Chairman believes that the Super Committee is a "Dumb Idea" but unfortunately is the law- he does not believe the Super Committee will be able to come to a deal that everyone can live with which will result in sequestration- or across the board cuts on many programs within the Federal budget.

Peterson contends that only agriculture has already made deficit reduction- and so he is reluctant to offer any further cuts to the Super Committee.

He also says it will not surprise him if the time frame for the writing of the 2012 farm bill is pushed up to the latter part of this year or very early in 2012, because of the budgetary moves that came out of the debt ceiling/deficit reduction battle in early August.

Peterson made these comments in an interview with Farm Broadcast colleague Don Wick of the Red River Radio Network. Click on the LINK below to hear their full visit on these issues.

Click here to listen to Rep. Peterson's comments on the Super Committee


U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance Receives Support from Monsanto
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The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) announced at the Farm Progress Show that Monsanto is joining its movement to answer Americans' questions about how their food is raised. USFRA is a coalition of more than 50 national, regional and state agricultural groups and their partners, committed to continuously improving how they grow and raise food that provides healthy choices for people everywhere.

"USFRA marks the first time a wide range of agricultural groups are collaborating to lead the dialogue on how food is grown and raised in America," said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation and chairman of USFRA. "USFRA's supporters represent virtually every aspect of today's agricultural production - both crop and livestock commodities and partners from all aspects of the agricultural spectrum."

"American consumers are interested in learning how their food is grown and raised," said John Raines, vice president of customer advocacy for Monsanto. "Billions of people depend upon what farmers and ranchers do on a daily basis. Monsanto is proud to support USFRA's efforts to lead a dialogue - bringing together the voices of farmers, ranchers and agricultural partners - to address questions consumers are asking."

USFRA created an advisory group for industry partners and participation can be achieved at different levels. Monsanto is supporting USFRA at the Premier Partner Advisory Group level and joins other industry partners including John Deere and DuPont Pioneer.

Click here for more information on the USFRA and Monsanto


Labor Day Cometh- In the Field AND Lesser Prairie Chicken on the Menu
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We are on the verge of the final three day holiday weekend of the summer- and with the arrival of Labor Day- we remind you that markets will be pausing for the three day holiday- Ag futures and the equity markets will be closed on Monday, as will most auction livestock markets here in the southern plains that normally have a Monday sale- that includes Oklahoma National Stockyards, Tulsa as well as the Joplin regional Stockyards. Government offices are also closed and we will not have this email going out to you on Monday- but will be back on Tuesday bright and early.

This Saturday morning- we invite you to join us on the KWTV News9 morning news block as our In the Field guest will be Mike Schulte of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission- we will talk about the arrival of September and how things are looking to start the early phase of planting the 2012 hard red winter wheat crop (hint- not so good until it rains.) Join Mike and I around 6:40 AM for our conversation.

U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe will be holding two September forums this coming week with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Dan Ashe, concerning the potential listing of the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered or threatened species. The lesser prairie chicken occupies a five-state range that includes Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. The range in Oklahoma includes the Panhandle and several western Oklahoma counties.
Meetings are planned for next Wednesday in Woodward and then next Thursday in Edmond. We'll have more details on our calendar page at www.OklahomaFarmReport.Com.


STEAK Your Claim for Some Great eating at Freddie Pauls in Stillwater!
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One of the new supporters of our daily email is the Legendary Restaurants of Oklahoma- and they kick off their once a week promotion on this Friday morning at 8:30 AM central with a half price deal for one of the great steak restaurants in Oklahoma- Freddy Pauls in Stillwater. You can get two $25 certificates to spend at Freddie Pauls for just $25- $50 worth of delicious steaks and everything else on the Freddie Paul menu for just $25. Click here for the Legendary Restaurant website to take advantage of this offer- but hurry- there are just 100 of these deals- and when they are gone- you'll just have to wait until next Friday for the next Legendary deal in great Oklahoma eating!!! By the way- our Karolyn Bolay talked with the folks at Freddie Pauls about their restaurant and you can check out that interview by clicking here.

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, PCOM, P & K Equipment/ P & K Wind Energy, Johnston Enterprises, American Farmers & Ranchers and KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- FREE!

We also invite you to check out our website at the link below to check out an archive of these daily emails, audio reports and top farm news story links from around the globe.

Click here to check out WWW.OklahomaFarmReport.Com


Let's Check the Markets!
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We've had requests to include Canola prices for your convenience here- and we will be doing so on a regular basis. Current cash price for Canola is $13.19 per bushel, while the 2012 New Crop contracts for Canola are now available are $13.15 per bushel- delivered to local participating elevators that are working with PCOM.

Here are some links we will leave in place on an ongoing basis- Click on the name of the report to go to that link:
Our Daily Market Wrapup from the Radio Oklahoma Network with Ed Richards and Tom Leffler- analyzing the Futures Markets from the previous Day-
Ron on RON Markets as heard on K101 mornings with cash and futures reviewed- includes where the Cash Cattle market stands, the latest Feeder Cattle Markets Etc.
Previous Day's Wheat Market Recap- Two Pager From The Kansas City Board of Trade looks at all three US Wheat Futures Exchanges with extra info on Hard Red Winter Wheat and the why of that day's market.
Daily Oklahoma Cash Grain Prices- As Reported by the Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture.
The National Daily Feeder & Stocker Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
The National Daily Slaughter Cattle Summary- as prepared by USDA.
Finally, Here is the Daily Volume and Price Summary from the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.



God Bless! You can reach us at the following:
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phone: 405-473-6144
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